The Washington critic., 1887-08-22
BATHING At THE BEACH.
Its Improprieties vigorously Dcpicte
by Ella Wheeler Wilcox.

by Ella wheeler Wilcox.
SHELTER ISLAND HEIGHTS, N. Y,
Aug 1S,-Fashion has decreed that
ocean bathing is no longer "the thing"
to do. Yet so healthful and invigo-
rating custom will be long in wholly
dying out. Here at Shelter Island,
where two hundred cottages and two
large hotels people this little paradise
with at least eight hundred souls dur.
ing the Season." the beach is well
crowded with merry bathers every fore.
noon. Sitting in the pavilion and
watching them sport in the briny wave,
! could not help wondering why Mrs.
Grundy, who is so particularly critical
in some things, should have so long
ignored the vulgarities Of the ocean
bath. Here men and women, young
girls and youths, half nude and with
the covered portions of their bodies
plainly outlined by their cllngIng, wet
robes, mix and mingle and indulge in
familiarities which would not be toler-
ated on land.
A pretty young lady swan from the
beach out to the diving pavilion yes.
terday. Then she clambered up on tue
pavilion with ten or twelve others of
both sexes. Here, In full sight of all
the spectators on shore and all her
companions, she lifted her short skirts
triile and adjusted the elastic of her
long stocking, which had become loos.
ened with the effort of swimming She
did this with the utmost nonchalance;
yet just imagine the sensation 1t would
cause IL she should perform this same
harmless little toilet act on the veranda
In presence of the same audience She
would be cut dead by every woman,
and quite likely requested to leave the
hotel. Yet doubt If any one beside
myself noticed or commented on the
little pesformance-itis is such an every.
day occurrence. l do not wish to seem
hypercritical, and ! believe l have
never been called overpartlcular or
prudish, but l can't help wondering
why the same act is deemed proper in
one place and vulgar in another.
Only last week heard young miss
declaring she would not dance with
any man unless he was relative or
very dear friend. ~ don't like and
won't tolerate any man In such close
proximity to me" she said, unless he
Is a relative" Yesterday l saw her
swim TO the shore with male escort
who was not a relative, and 1t seemed to
me the situation held o good deal more
of unpleasant familiarity than any waltz
ever contained. She sat down in tue
sand and her escort leaned on his elbow
close beside her. He wore a single very
thin garment, which exposed his
brawny arms and bony neck and un-
lovely ankles and feet. The single
garment clung close to his body, and
displayed his entire anatomy wlth
unblushing distinctness. Her own
pretty arms were bare to the shoulder,
and, as she sat curled up In the sand
one could gain very pleasing outline
of her graceful limbs and rounded
shape. But again / fell to making
comparisons.
Suppose, said, mentally, that
young lady should meet that young
gentleman in the halls of the hotel ar.
rayed precisely as he is now-she
would run, screaming, to her room,
Indignant and alarmed. If he should
approach her in that attire on the
lawn and attempt to sit down beside
her, she would call policeman to ar.
rest him. Queer, is 1t not 2"
Some of the ladies who have heard
that bathing is not as fashionable as 1t
used TO be-unwilling to be indepen-
dent, yet more unwilling to abandon
the delight of daily swim-choose an
afternoon hour when other people are
mapping and paddle about in lovely
costumes, with no male spectators. or,
at least, only an accidental one. These
were the young ladies who declared
they would not be introduced TO or
dance with any strangers at the hop
given in honor of a yachting club re.
Gently.
This led a happily married matron to
discuss the prophecies with me, ~
like TO see girls prudent" she said,
"but 1t seems TO me young people do
not have quite as good times MS they
used to at these resorts. No matter
how well recommended u young man
may be, some OF these very particular
girls declare they will not dance with
any one save au intimate friend.
at is cOmmendable, no doubt, and
yet" she added, with an arch laugh,
''why, | shouldn't have been John S
wife oday If had been so careful.
danced with him the first night | met
him, and we found we kept step SO
nicely we concluded to glide through
nle together. am sure young iolks
had n better time in those years than
they do now and really don't think
any more mlsforlunes befell them than
in these conventional days"
Last evening the children were
dancing, and overheard an amusing
conversation between trio at the par
lor door. A tiny young gallant in
long stockings was begging two smaller
bellies, not over ten years OF age, to Lei
him introduce a friend of his, niue
year old boy, who had arrived that day
with his parents.
"Oh, but we couldn't think of dan
cling with him." said the two naughty
young misses. 1--WE don't-we don't
know him at all, you sec
"Oh, pshaw, nOw-l say come-let S
make up set and have good time,
pleaded the boy.
Hes II good dancer, and he wants
10 get acquainted, you know. Let mt
Introduce him."
"Well-but really We cannot dance
with such stranger" the girls In
sisted, and l went to my room to pom
der over the wonderful prudence and
decorum of the growing generation.